John 3:16 Ministries Inc.

City: CharlotteCategory: Nonprofit Organization of the YearYear: 2012

Bryan Tuggle believes in the healing power of Jesus Christ. In 2003, he started John 3:16 Ministries Inc. of Charlotte (Independence County) to help men who are over the age of 21 break alcohol and drug additions. Tuggle said he completed a similar treatment program in 1995 and it worked for him.

“I learned how to live life without drinking or doing dope,” he said. “God didn’t make me to be a loser but to be a winner.”

John 3:16 was named Nonprofit of the Year in 2011 at the first Northeast Arkansas Business of Year awards banquet.

The nonprofit organization started with one resident and now has 76, after adding six beds this month, said Tuggle, who is the director along with his wife, Beverly.

The men live on John 3:16’s 100-acre campus, which is about 10 miles east of Batesville. It could take two to six weeks before the men are accepted into the “spiritual boot camp.” Bryan Tuggle said he wanted to ensure that once the men were in the program, they would stick with it.

A typical stay in the program is six months to a year. The residents spend 18 hours a week studying the Bible in a nondenominational setting. Another 18 hours a week is spent doing community service. And the rest of the time could be spent maintaining the campus or on entertainment.

Over the years, John 3:16 has treated about 800 men. The men don’t pay for the treatment, which costs about $33 a day per person or about $900,000 annually. Money from churches, businesses and individual donations is used to fund the program, Tuggle said.

With 15 employees, John 3:16 hopes to continue raising money so more beds can be added to treat more people, Tuggle said.